Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future, Colgate launch grant program

July 29, 2016New York — The Canada-United States chapter of the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future announced a new grant program in August to help fund interprofessional projects that positively impact the oral health of pregnant women and children under 6.

The annual grant program, backed by the Colgate-Palmolive Company, will award up to $50,000 for selected projects.

The projects, according to a news release, "must focus on improving attitudes, knowledge and practices" related to the prevention of dental caries among children under the age of 6 and/or pregnant women within identified vulnerable populations including those from disadvantaged racial or ethnic minority groups or from regions with limited access to care.

Applicants must be part of a project team that is interprofessional, with a dentist, hygienist or dental therapist as one of the team members and be currently enrolled or working in a university and/or employed or involved in community or public health.

The Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future will accept applications between Sept. 1 and Oct. 1.

Though there is a limit to the number of recipients who are awarded funding for their projects, applicants that do not receive funding may reapply in the following year.

To apply, applicants must compete a grant application and submit to Dr. Margherita Fontana of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry at mfontan@umich.edu.